“That’s the formal refusal-of-care waiver from our financial office,” Brenda said in her quick phone voice.

“The patient’s father signed it in front of me.”

“And what reason did he give for turning down the emergency imaging?” Claire asked.

Brenda straightened her lanyards again.

“He said the procedure cost too much and he wasn’t going to approve a four-thousand-dollar insurance deductible,” Brenda said.

“He also told me to take Ellen Miller off the automated billing system.”

I looked over at Richard.